Poetry and Paella

I have just spent a fantastic week at Hacienda Los Olivos in Spain leading a week on 'words'. There were six of us, playing with words, reading words and writing words. The fridge poetry on the first day got the creative juices going, and the excellent food and surroundings added to the inspiration that flowed by the end of the week. I have promised the group that I would display our poetry on the blog...so here is a taster. Hopefully more will be posted before the end of the month. Pour a large glass of Sangria and enjoy! Thanks to all those poets (and budding poets) for a most memorable week.

Almond and Rosemary

Marzipan and roast lamb

Sundays and Christmas
Here along the road.
Smelt, sun drenched, ripe for the taking
and making
baking and creating.
Symbols of new life and laughter
plenty, ground, placed, paste
remembrance.
Create, taste
God saw, and yes, it was good.

(KMG)

Los Olivos (A Psalm)

Life in abundance

Offered and received

Silence and laughter - equally free

Open to otherness

Looking attentively

Inviting creativity

Values we find

Our thanks to our Maker

Saviour, Lord

(All)

Morning

The sun rises over the hard-edged mountain.
I sit entranced, silent in its golden warmth,
Stunned before its majesty. (JB)


The Olive Tree

So dry the land, so bare, unwelcoming
And yet the olive tree
Lush, green, abundant.
Improbable., impossible
But for its roots searching deep for the water of life.

(JB)


Andalucian September

Above
Relentless sky, infinitely clear and blue;
Around me
Red-grey ground, dry and crisp,
Exhausted grasses crackling underfoot.
No rain,
No cloud,
No water.
Yet there is green:
Olive green, almond green, grass green, leaf green,
Swaying in the gathering breeze.
And water,
Deep below, concealed, waiting.
Roots delve, explore, discover,
Quench thirst,
Bring life in green abundance.
(JB)

A Nervous Swimmer

A nervous swimmer
I crouch beside the pool,
Half-attracted by the cool, clear water, sapphire in the mid-day sun,
Anticipating the pleasure and thrill of immersion.
But half-fearful, hesitant,
not quite trusting
its promise of renewal.
I breathe deeply,
Take the plunge……..
Fantastic!

(JB)

Reflections inside and out

Distant birds passing

heavy breeze

solid blue sky

constant crickets communicate

- another tongue underfoot.

The world below is lost

- on hold this moment.

Soul searching, delve deeper,

down, down, within

where truth lies

undisturbed by rush, time, expectations and

domestic duty.

There deep within is treasure

that speaks 'I am'

deliberately slowly

as if to say 'Hello' once more.

The core of our being, undisturbed.

Our reason for living.

Reach within, pull it out,

direct the memory, inspect the love.

Neglect

for one second, everything else

speak truth, the truth

and be.

Be. Begin again,

refrain 'I am' again and again.

Let it resonate, resound

so the natural orchestra can become one

in time, in tune, in harmony

Inspiration.

Tuck it up again, inside,

the part of God that knew you from the beginning

and rest awhile

on the mountain top.

(KMG)

Wine in the Olive Grove

(or the consequences of it!)

Green leaves gleam in the afternoon sun

clink of glasses, grasshoppers chirping

Anticipating your fruit with wine's

bouquet. Smooth fruit

unripened. memories

of childhood

holidays

The man

and

woman

glance

knowingly

They said 'Why leave us here?'

All in the end is Harvest!

(Rama Kaje)